Training camp

SANTA CLARA — Ted Ginn Jr. and Kyle Williams started practice by fielding punts one-handed from a Jugs machine. This was running backs coach Tom Rathman’s idea. He stood next to the punt returners and made the exercise a competition. Ginn really struggled. On his first rep, he dropped the ball completely. Williams, on the other hand, made it look easy. He tracked the ball like an outfielder, lining up…

SANTA CLARA – The 49ers p.r. staff brought out Kyle Williams and Ted Ginn Jr. to talk to the media at the same time this afternoon. Both speedy slot receivers were wearing Chicago White Sox hats, Ginn wearing a red one, and Williams wearing the classic black. I had to make a decision of who to talk to, and I chose the Williams. Forgive me if you wanted Ginn quotes….

SANTA CLARA — Daunte Culpepper worked out at the 49ers facility this morning, and according to Matt Maiocco, Culpepper expects to sign a one-year contract with the Niners. Also according to Maiocco, Culpepper would not be competing for the first or second string quarterback jobs. He would just be the third stringer. I spoke with new 49ers tight end Nate Lowrie just now on Culpepper. Lawrie played with Culpepper on…

SAN FRANCISCO – Although Jim Harbaugh has said a couple of times that there is no depth chart on the 49ers, just a rep chart, the head coach confirmed today that Alex Smith is No. 1 and Colin Kaepernick is No. 2, “for now.” That being said, Harbaugh admitted he wants to “kick the tires” on Daunte Culpepper, and the 49ers will soon give him a workout. Here’s what the…

Before the 49ers play their first preseason game tonight, let’s look back at the first 12 practices of training camp and identify the top performers so far. Frank Gore. He’s worked as hard as anyone in training camp, and he’s clearly the best player on the team. Patrick Willis. When he practices he raises the level of intensity of any drill or scrimmage he’s in. Vernon Davis. He seems like…

SANTA CLARA – Jim Harbaugh gave an impromptu interview next to the field after practice. He said he was only going to give us a little, but he gave us much more. Here’s the complete transcript. Q: How pleased are you with the last few practices? HARBAUGH: Very pleased. Not 100 percent perfect, not 100 percent right, and if you asked me I wouldn’t want it 100 percent right or perfect, because…

SANTA CLARA – As Dashon Goldson answered reporters’ questions, Braylon Edwards sat patiently next to the interview, waiting for his turn. When he got the chance, he was eager to talk. Here’s the complete transcript of what he said. He mostly talked about the acclimation process, but towards the end he makes some interesting comparisons – Kellen Winslow Jr. to Vernon Davis, and Michael Crabtree to himself. Enjoy. Q: Are…

SANTA CLARA – Dashon Goldon spoke to reporters after a post-practice weight-lifting session. Here’s the complete transcript of that interview. He spoke candidly about free agency, his opportunity in New England, and his reasons for returning to the Niners. Q: Why did you come back? GOLDSON: I got a lot of advice but I knew all along I wanted to be here. This is home for me. This is where…

SANTA CLARA – Today was the lightest practice of training camp, and here’s what I mean by light. Harbaugh ended the practice at 4:55 today, 35 minutes earlier than usual because “the tempo was so good,” as he explained afterwards. At no point did the first-team offense play against the first-team defense in 11-on-11 drills. Alex Smith and the first-unit took a ton of red zone reps against the third-team…

SANTA CLARA – Frank Gore begins practice by himself. Some of the other star players, like Vernon Davis and Braylon Edwards, they get one-on-one time with coaches. Not Gore. Everyone leaves him alone, including the other players. What else is there to teach him? He’s a master of his craft, and he picks up schemes quicker than anybody else on the team. The Niners’ attitude is to leave Gore alone…

SANTA CLARA – Third-year safety Curtis Taylor, who may or may not make the team this season, spoke to a group of reporters today in Santa Clara. Here’s the complete transcript of that interview. Q: How difficult is it for you to practice with so many different safety partners? TAYLOR: It’s not difficult at all. You come into the classroom, you put in the work, and you go out there…

SANTA CLARA — FootballNewsNow.com’s Edward Cole interviewed me over the phone yesterday about the 49ers. We talked about the play-calling in camp, the preseason game on Friday, and the depth chart as it stands right now. Here’s a link to that podcast. Enjoy.Click here to listen to the podcast Follow me on twitter @grantcohn.

SANTA CLARA – Here’s the complete transcript of Defensive Coordinato Vic Fangio’s post-practice interview, courtesy of the 49ers. Enjoy. On whether Aldon Smith is a little more advanced than he thought he’d be at this point: “He’s had his flashes and I think that’s what you’re seeing, that he is flashing his ability, which gives you the impression when you’re kind of watching the whole thing and not focusing on…

SANTA CLARA – Phillip Davis, the undrafted rookie cornerback from Tulane, doesn’t exactly get the star treatment to begin practice. He’s part of the scout kickoff team, which means he runs wind sprints. He runs about twenty of them, back and forth, one after another, and then he gets to participate in defensive back drills. But not how you’d think. This morning, DB coach Ed Donatell wanted some of his…

SANTA CLARA – The first morning practice of the Niners’ training camp started today at 9:15 a.m, but the earliness didn’t deter a slew of famous spectators from showing up. Dashon Goldson walked out to the field around 11 a.m. wearing a San Francisco Giants hat with an orange bill. Players and coaches greeted him on the sideline with hugs. Former Pro-Bowl fullback Lorenzo Neal knelt next to me the…

This is what Alex Smith had to say after his best practice of training camp. The transcript is courtesy of the 49ers. On Coach Harbaugh saying it was probably one of the best practices of camp and whether he felt so as well: “It’s definitely the best I felt like. We’re taking the necessary steps. I think that’s what’s important; continue to get better each day, it’s obviously early, but…

Here’s the transcript of Jim Harbaugh’s post-practice press conference, courtesy of the 49ers. Enjoy. On whether he is adding more situational plays into practice due to the upcoming preseason game against the New Orleans Saints: “Yes.” On where he would be in training camp if the lockout had not occurred: “We would have been a little bit ahead if there were more practices, but not that significant. A couple days…

SANTA CLARA – Jim Harbaugh called today’s practice the “best practice of training camp so far.” Alex Smith and Colin Kaepernick both threw two touchdowns and just one poor pass apiece. On the poor ones, Smith had a ball tipped at the line of scrimmage that was almost intercepted, and Kaepernick didn’t lead Ronald Johnson enough on a crossing route, so cornerback Cory Nelms almost caught the ball instead. Other…

SANTA CLARA – You’ll love this. The quarterbacks were doing their standard drills to start practice today, and Harbaugh was watching them closely. Standard. They were doing this drill right in front of the end zone bleachers, which were filled with fans. The fans watched quietly as Alex Smith, Colin Kaepernick, Jeremiah Masoli, and McLeod Bethel-Thompson practiced play-action passes. All of a sudden Harbaugh wanted take a snap and show…

According to Matt Barrows, Reggie Smith tore the meniscus in one of his knees and he will miss a couple of weeks, but it shouldn’t be a serious, long-term injury. Clearly, this is a big reason the Niners resigned Dashon Goldson. Here are my two questions for you: Question 1: If Smith hadn’t hurt his knee, would Baalke have resigned Goldson anyway? I say yes. Baalke got him for cheap,…

Inside the 49ers: Grant Cohn

I cover the San Francisco 49ers year-round for The Press Democrat in Santa Rosa. Argue with me, agree with me, or just read the posts and follow the conversation. I've been a contributor to several other regional and national sports websites, and I also write two online columns a week for pressdemocrat.com, which are posted on this site as well.